1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to tools for cleaning the electrical terminal posts of storage batteries such as those commonly used in automobiles. More particularly, the invention relates to such a tool which incorporates a resilient blade to scrape corrosion from such battery posts which is adjustable in position so that it can be used for cleaning posts of different diameters. Further, the tool is structured for convenient and efficient advantages in use with a conventional socket wrench.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Corrosion of the terminal posts of batteries is a common and well-known cause of failure of automobiles to start. Such corrosion is the product of the chemical interaction between the lead alloy of the posts and gases in the air or gases released by the electrolytic cells of the battery itself. Since the corrosion exhibits a high resistance to the flow of electricity, it acts as an insulator and prevents the proper flow of current in the battery circuit.
To insure continued proper operation of the automobile, it is necessary to remove the corrosion from the battery terminal posts. In the past, this has been accomplished by means of sandpaper, knife blades, or wire brushes manually manipulated to scrape and abrade the corroded surfaces of the posts. Of course, such techniques require the exercise of considerable effort and patience in order to obtain an acceptable result and to avoid damage to the battery posts being cleaned.
More recently, various specialized tools have been designed to facilitate the removal of battery post corrosion. Examples of such tools, particularly ones utilizing resilient blades, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,692,911; 2,204,516; 3,717,895; 3,802,793; and 3,946,456.
However, the tools disclosed in said patents are not without significant shortcomings. They are somewhat awkward to use, particularly in tight spaces; they are less than totally effective in properly removing the corrosion from the terminal post and are not well suited to clean terminal posts of different sizes. They are not designed for use with other conventional tools; nor can they be easily stored along with other conventional tools.
Many of these shortcomings are accentuated by the relative inaccessibility of the terminal posts of the batteries as installed in late-model automobiles. Such batteries often are positioned close to a fenderwell with the terminals obscured by sheetmetal, wires, and other fittings which commonly clutter the engine compartment. As a result, several difficulties often arise when attempting to clean the posts. The mechanic using the prior art cleaning tool can easily cut his hands on the sharp sheet metal and fittings surrounding the battery where access spacing is very limited. This is especially dangerous because of the presence of the corrosion on the posts. Also, since few tools are designed to efficiently remove corrosion from terminal posts of different sizes, the progress of the scraping must be frequently checked to assure that the corrosion is removed, but the terminal post is not scored or otherwise damaged. This is tedious at best. Some devices are actually a multiplicity of tools aggregated onto a single frame. Although there may be some advantages to such a design, the variety of tools on the frame makes it difficult to rotate in a confined space. Again, this can cause injuries to the tool user.
The use of these tools would be facilitated if they could be used in conjunction with other conventional tools to give them a longer reach. Finally, it should be noted that if the battery terminals cannot be properly cleaned while the battery is positioned in the car, the only alternative is to remove the battery from the engine compartment. This, however, increases the cost of performing the cleaning task.